Adam Le Fondre double helps Reading steal a point from Chelsea

Chelsea blew a two-goal lead as Adam Le Fondre stepped off the bench to seal an unlikely point for Reading.

Goals in either half from Juan Mata and Frank Lampard looked to have handed all three points to the visitors before substitute Le Fondre’s dramatic late double.

Mata broke the deadlock with virtually the last kick of the first half, combining with Fernando Torres on the edge of the Reading penalty area before drilling the ball low beyond Adam Federici.

The goal was a little harsh on the hosts – who had earlier unveiled new signing, striker Nick Blackman from Sheffield United – as they looked to have done enough to reach half-time on level terms.

Bang: Juan Mata had lashed Chelsea ahead (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea, who announced before the game they would fight any attempt by the FA to increase Eden Hazard’s automatic three-match ban for kicking out at a ball boy last week, then doubled their advantage as Lampard headed Mata’s corner home on 66 minutes.

With three minutes remaining, Le Fondre latched onto Hope Akpan’s through ball to drill beyond Ross Turnbull before he sent the home fans into raptures with an equaliser on 90 minutes to cap a remarkable comeback.